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2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Creek planned for animals and people

 

I would like to add to the "Kahibah Creek clearing to proceed" story in vour December edition.

While there will be some "clearing" of trees in Kahibah Creek it is important to get the whole story.

The clearing of trees was approved pending a walk of the creek by council engineers and environmentalists and some interested members of the public and one councillor (Cr Penton) to identify the scope of the works.

This walk became essential as most local residents are opposed to wholesale environmental destruction as has been recommended by council's engineers up until this point.

Resident reaction to the engineer's proposal led to Gosford councillors agreeing to commission an independent assessment of the Kahibah Creek environment documents and data that had been produced by Council and other consultants.

This assessment revealed that what the council engineers were planning to do was indiscriminate levelling of potential koala habitat (as defined by State Environment Planning Policy 44) and thus potentially illegal.

The independent assessment of National Environmental Consulting Services NECS recognising that we could have both Koala habitat and unrestricted flood flow recommended in detail the trees to be removed as:

North East Bank - trees lower down this bank will be removed (less than 3m high and around 50mm diameter).

South West Bank - virtually all large trees of around 100mm diameter will be removed.

This was what the councillors agreed to and the walk-inspection was carried out to identify the trees which fell within this definition.

We were able to save most of the larger Swamp Mahogany trees that comprise the potential Koala habitat and crucial winter flowering for the many native birds and mammals that rely on them for their existence.

Although some were lost as the engineers took a more conservative approach than residents thought necessary, resulting in some trees being condemned unnecessarily.

Some of the larger trees are below the flood level but they are few and well spaced.

With appropriate replanting along the top of the banks some of these trees will be able to be removed in future if they become a problem.

We now have a choice of establishing a link from the National Park to the rainforest area behind Umina Beach for all kinds of animals and people to enjoy.

In addition. council is soon to undertake environmental education in 2002-3 for this section of the creek.

Bryan Ellis, Umina